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Friday, 27 April 2012

As you can tell from the numerous layers, this look's a leftover from the winter just gone. Piling on the knitwear is super cosy and you should try it.

Isn't UK the cutest? Everyone on the news and weather is freaking out because of 'drought' and how we can't water our gardens or wash our cars and we are going to shrivel up like raisins and die. Then a couple of days later, everyone on the news and weather is freaking out because of rain and flooding and other things which are to be expected of our friend, the weather wizard.

Scarf: present from sister's mother-in-law

Top: Marks and Spencers

Knitted vest thing: 姝女房, China

Cardigan: Matalan, mum's wardrobe

Bag: 'Made in Italy', mum's cupboard

Belt: sister's wardrobe

Skirt: Next

Armwarmers: New Look

Tights: Tesco

Socks: Next

Boots: Safiya, China

Matching gloves and scarf and matching boots, bag and belt makes me very happy, and being warm keeps me healthy and migraine-free, so it is What I Call 'All Good'.

Before I quit, may I bring to your attention a kind blogger, Molly, who featured me? You can find the interview at her blog, The Extra-Ordinary. Thank you for having me there, Molly!

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Last week I went shopping in a big town and tried on absolutely everything I fancied with no intention of buying them. This included a whole bunch of Doc Martens, which I tried on in various shops, just to try and get the craving out of my system. I daresay it sort of worked. While I still like looking at them, I'm not killing myself over whether I actually want to own them or not. Maybe one day.

I like the dark-coloured, over 12-hole ones most, the ones with a little bit of subtle (or not) detailing to set them apart from plain DMs.

Rosie

Triumph

Vonda

Galaxy

Laser tattoo

On what to wear DMs with, perhaps wander over to my lovely LB examples?

Monday, 23 April 2012

New Divide is one of those songs that I can't stop tapping my foot to even months and years after I first hear it. I watched fragments of the film when it broadcasted on TV once, but shiny robots and annoying protagonists can only hold me down on one channel for so long - after I got over the shininess, it was mind-numbing. New Divide, however, is moody yet intense, and I love it.

Leona Lewis - I See YouAvatar (2009)

I'm one of those people who hangs around at the end of the film to watch any interesting bits of the credits, and of course, to listen to the ending song. I thought the voice sounded familiar, and I'm quite impressed that Lewis sang the song for such a high-profile film. The melody I found a little weird at first with some odd key changes, but it the powerful vocals and tingliness makes for a lovely song. Nevertheless, I do think it falls victim to Lewis' poor diction!

MIKA - Kick AssKick Ass (2010)

Like New Divide, I've loved this song for a long time. It's infectious, empowering and absolutely relevant, when the lyrics actually decide to make some sense. Work out who you are, find your niche, and you're free as you'll ever be. The film Kick Ass is probably my favourite recent superhero film too, because it's packed with personality, action, and brutally highlights humanity's dark side.

I had no idea this song was for the Hunger Games film until Swift suddenly found a mockingjay pin. I've not watched this film and probably never will, because I don't think I want someone else's interpretation of the books forced upon my imagination, which plays out the story like a film in my head anyway. This song is raspy, creepy and haunting, and I really quite like it.

Saturday, 21 April 2012

It was probably three years ago now, when one winter I went to a MIKA concert with my schoolmates. I'd never been to a live pop music event before, and I wore I wore this - just as well, because every centimetre of heel counts when your in a crush of people jumping around and singing incomprehensibly having an amazing time.

Thursday, 19 April 2012

Twice now I've driven past this boy in the morning with a bag patterned with black and white squares, repeating. Recently I used a QR code for my IT coursework, and the bag reminded me of it. And I think, wouldn't a QR code pattern be an interesting print for clothing?

The pattern on the bag, repeated all over

A QR code pattern for bags, tights or jumpers - I think it would look especially interesting in knitwear - would not only be a techy and modern statement print, but a handy barcode to navigate to some text or webpage too, if you're lucky (or rich) enough to possess a smartphone. I personally use my mobile once a week to arrange pick-up times from the charity shop I volunteer at. For most people, their mobile is an integral part of their social life, but I've never felt the need for it.

UCDL's QR code

The black and white also reminds me of a tessellating pattern which is apparently called houndstooth.

Houndstooth

Another computer-related pattern I love is the minute grooves and lines and circles of a circuit board.

On Etsy are some rather awesome items inspired by the circuit board, the most famous of which is probably this tie. Created by American artist Michael Phipps, he used speciality metallic inks to do justice to what I think is a very successful, understated and aesthetically-pleasing design.

The colour, translucency and irregularity of the onion epidermis above is magnificent. When I was about 12, we peeled off the thin skins from onions, dyed them, sandwiched them between glass slides and put them under a microscope. A few years ago, I saw a lady in McDonalds wear a headscarf bearing a pattern which my sister and I both agreed looked a lot like onion epidermis under magnification. (We geek out a lot like that.) That skin is one cell thin. One cell.

When browsing more pictures of cells, this neurones caught my eye. They look like intricate webs or splattered paint, thrown in the air and suspended like frozen in time. The dark background reminds me of the immensely popular galaxy print. If prints from astronomy can rise to the surface of fashion, why can't patterns from technology and biology emerge too?

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

On Saturday we went out for the day to a country estate. We fed the rabbits, goats and ponies in the farm, and walked to the canal, and ate Snickers. While it was quite sunny most of the time, there was a very cold wind, but it only showered once when we sheltered in a café and drank tea.

Monday, 16 April 2012

Now I've moved on to raiding my dad's wardrobe too. This blue wool jumper's a little small for him, but all the better for me!

Shirt: China, sister's wardrobe

Ribbon: Hobbycraft, with a snap button I sewed on

Jumper: China, dad's wardrobe

Skirt: E.Land, China

Boots: Clarks

Despite it being my favourite colour, I don't wear yellow a lot, simply
because it's not all that easy a colour to work with for clothes. I found this yellow shirt with stars all over it, and being the matching Nazi I am, it had to go with my skirt from China with the little bit of yellow tartan on the underskirt I like to obsess over.

Skirt: E.Land, China

Tomorrow, school starts again, and a month from now, my exams do too. Sad times.

Sunday, 15 April 2012

As I said before in my pizza post, for my birthday I received what I believe is a gift gard for shops belonging to the Arcadia group, which includes Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge and Warehouse. Half of these shops are miles away from me, and the other half I don't usually frequent, but I had a trawl through some of their websites.

In the actual shop in town, I found a nicer ring than this which was long and sparkly and flowery, but this one is cute too because it reminds me of star bits from Mario Galaxy, and star fragments from Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

I usually steer clear of Topshop, but this thing is beautiful - I love the delicate beading and the soft colours. How could I, with the DIY dexterity of an undercooked sausage, hope to make such a thing myself? Nevertheless, I suspect it's an online-only item, which is tragic.

The crisp oriental print of this dress is gorgeous, but the weird bar at the neck is a little superfluous, and it has one of those horrific black and gold zips at the back. Becky Bedbug mentioned this annoying trend some months ago, and I absolutely agree that it's a cruel, cruel way to kill a beautiful piece of clothing; it's so cruel, I haven't even the heart to show me/you the back of the above dress, and chose the picture with the dummy wearing it to cover it up.

So, after internet browsing and actually visiting a shop in town, I still have no idea what to spend the card on. For now, it will reside with my small fortune of book vouchers and gift cards.

Friday, 13 April 2012

With my soft spot for polka-dots, having a look at what others on LB do with my favourite pattern was very much inspiring. Whether they are adorning blouses, blazers, dresses or tights, I can't help but adore them, and I'm glad to see them around so much.

One of the biggest statement pieces in my own wardrobe is this marvellous measles trenchcoat, I affectionately call it, only £17 from the dizzying depths of TK Maxx's sale racks. I absolutely adore the cut - generally, I like A-line things - and the scribbly spots are simply splendid.

Coat: Antoni & Alison, TK Maxx

Dress: New Look

Belt: Passionella, Oxfam

Tights: Pretty Polly, TK Maxx

Boots: Clarks

Coat: Antoni & Alison, TK Maxx

Dress: New Look

The spotty cardigan below, knitted from the most wonderfully soft wool, I frequently steal from my mum. Sad as I am, I even specifically matched the boots to them. And of course I had to get my hands on some spotty tights, which were actually surprisingly evasive, but I finally located a pair of a pleasing spot size and density in New Look for just £1.20.

Thursday, 12 April 2012

My red glasses are from Specsavers. The dress is my favourite, from TK Maxx, by a brand called Yumī. I bought it one winter and finally got to wear it in the summer and I loved and still love it. A lady working in Debenhams complimented me for is as I went by, which was nice. When I first bought it and looked the brand up it was pretty obscure, but now they've got a shiny website, and I saw an outlet of theirs at Clothes Show Live one year when I went with school.

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

Ginge emailed me this dress which she thought would suit me. And now I want to go to a sunny seaside and drink up some light and do nothing all day, like in summer. The weather today was being temperamental, undecisive between blue sky and light showers, but looking out the window now, it looks like it's decided on sunshine!

I love the crisp coolness of the pastel colours of the dress, which are very easy to match and accessorise with. I'm sad that I can't find my teal blue low-top Converse on the internet; mine are a few shades darker than those pictured above. But to finish this fantasy outfit off, I think we need a tub or twelve of these.

Monday, 9 April 2012

On Saturday we went to a shoe museum, had a quick look round the market, bought some grapes, and walked down the high street. Most British high streets are practically the same, and this one was quite like the one where I live, apart from twice as wide with two or three times more people, more smokers, and teenagers sitting on each other in the middle of the street. (I speak the truth.) The buildings, however, were quite pretty.

Friday, 6 April 2012

It's the Easter holidays, so for those at that tragic age in education, that means revision. Instead of using clocks or kitchen timers to make an attempt to record how long I revise, I've developed the habit of using soundtracks, with no lyrics, as timers. I've heard of some pretty odd methods, like scenting your revision with lavender, but I think listening to these soundtracks will suffice for me!

Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary

I was so pleased to hear that with Skyward Sword came a new arrangement of Zelda's most iconic and nostalgia-inducing tunes. At a manageable length of 45 minutes, this CD's perfect for a little chunk of revising. Gerudo Valley is a place with mixed emotions for me - hours spent in that bloody archery minigame for some arrows I never even used, an exciting escape from a prison, and of course, the infectious music!

LoZ: Skyward SwordI've been able to fly like this in my dreams for years.

Ace Attorney Gyakuten Meets Orchestra

Another reorchestration of the soundtrack of highly popular DS series, Ace Attorney, the familiar themes sound so much better from a full symphony orchestra coming out of proper speakers, transporting me straight back to the courtroom. My favourite from this CD is most definitely The Steel Samurai, which never fails to make me smile. It is, after all, Edgeworth's favourite TV show.

Finally, for some solid revision, there's all three soundtracks to the legendary trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. I grew up with the books and the films, so the music envokes not only the breath-taking scenery of Middle Earth and the epic battles that took place there, but takes me back about a decade ago, curled up in my room, just reading. To this day, my bedroom's plastered with Lord of the Rings posters, as it was one of the few things my sister (and thus, I) liked that was mainstream enough to make them.

Words cannot express how desperate we all are for The Hobbit, starring Dr. John Watson himself, along with Sherlock as Smaug, and Mitchell from Being Human as one of the dwarves. SO EXCITED.

Thursday, 5 April 2012

Yesterday my Wifey and I had a lovely day of rewatching the whole of Sherlock series 2, pizza, attempted revision and general tomfoolery. For my birthday she gave me a lovely cookie jar containing a gift card, these adorable blue strawberry-patterned socks, and some edible goodies.

For lunch, it is traditional for us to pile on some extra peppers, mushrooms, onions and cheese onto the pizza. Before we've made transmutation circles in our Fullmetal Alchemist marathoning days, but yesterday, it was Sherlock's face who graced our food that lunchtime. Isn't the likeness just uncanny? Our favourite parts of it is the mushroom hair and the cheekbones you could just cut yourself on.

Sherlock pizza

We only remembered to add the extra cheese on after the photos, but in the end it was delicious.

Tuesday, 3 April 2012

Only in the past year or two have I been aware of the iconic lace-up boots, Doc Martens, since I've no knowledge of cultures and fashions long gone in UK. I remember my friend Ginge (who now has a Lookbook!) got some neon yellow ones from TK Maxx and was so proud of them, but I was completely unaware of the brand. Nevertheless, as I fell further into the fashion hole, how could I not notice?

While I know I like lace-up boots, and these LBers above look amazing in them, I'm not entirely sure whether I truly like DMs, in that I fear that fashion has influenced me to like them. Also, I've noticed that DMs most of the time don't look as good on people I see on the street in real life, or is that because they're not styling them in a way I like?

Anywho, on others I especially like DMs with dresses and skirts, especially layered with tights and socks like how Lua P. has, to really draw attention to the footwear. I usually dislike patent leather, and I definitely dislike white DMs, I found Johanne D.'s outfit's usage of them to be an exception.

It's mostly these 6-hole styles I find on LB, but some time I will have to compile a list of my favourite DMs, which will include 14-hole boots, a length that appeals to me more.

Since I don't possess any, pop over to Ginge's new LB to see those yellow DMs.